The same reason why you're so scared to lose the streak is the same reason why it's great

I'm not on teamstreak, but I'm more on board with Brandon's philosophies when it comes to the streak mechanism. The point of the streak is that it's an 'awe'-some thing. It's supposed to be hard and quite unrealistic for most people. So there really is no point in introducing 'smoothing out the streak' mechanisms for people to feel better about missing a day or two.

This is not to say that I think you are bad if you break your streak. Contrary. I break my streak all the time. Why? Because I live a life outside of writing on 200WaD. Also, I have larger ambitions than to just write 200 words a day. Writing daily is just my route there, and sometimes things like a birthday or a life event will get in the way of that. I'm not going to then feel bad about breaking my streak.

You would all probably complain about corporate executives who run their companies in a way to smooth out their earnings for the public earnings reports. But then you live your writing life like the worst of that blue-chip kind.

I'm with Gary Vee on this subject. He says whatever it is that you do with your life, he thinks youre doing it right as long as you're not complaining. So with your streak. If you are pondering the streak philosophically then that's great. But if you're complaining about burnout and bad mouthing the streak, just go fucking break it and come back.

One time I was having dinner with a German guy and I told him I hated that we as humans got hungry. And then he said, well then you wouldn't enjoy this food. The only reason you enjoy it is because you have hunger.

The only reason the streak is valuable is because it's hard. Not because you can just smooth it out like a slimy corporate exec.

@abrahamKim love the metaphor about hunger, and why the streak is valuable because it's hard. Nice way of putting it. I like that you mentioned about complaining/badmouthing the streak - that's sounds like a useful practical indicator of possible impending burnout to look out for in the community.

@abrahamKim Interesting take. I have streaks I'm maintaining in life that are far more consequential than writing 200 words every day. I can't even let birthdays or life events get in the way of my pursuit of my goals. I don't like that we get hungry either, but that's the way it is so it's about how one satisfies that hunger.